What should you look for in a trampoline?

The two most important considerations in buying a trampoline are the twin markers of safety and quality.

You’ll want a trampoline with at least a year’s warranty on the frame, and a safety net that can be replaced. You’ll also want to make sure that the weight limit is high enough for your jumpers, and that the trampoline is made of materials that can withstand some heavy bouncing.

Generally speaking, if you’re not looking for a professional trampoline, a simple, classic, middle-of-the-road trampoline should be perfect.

Also know that there are different types of trampoline frames and joints. The most secure joints are T-joints, or T-bars. Make sure your trampoline uses these (Skywalker uses them).

Even though jumping on a trampoline is a lot of fun and might even include health benefits, safety always comes first.

Are Skywalker trampolines safe?

The first thing you need to know about any product – including and especially trampolines – is whether it’s safe to use. In general, there are two major risks involved in trampoline use: a) falling off the trampoline; b) falling onto the spring area or the frame.

You’ve probably noticed there are trampolines that can be built into the ground. Basically, you dig a hole, install the trampoline, and the kids jump as if they are on the ground, but with more bounce. There is no proof that this actually lowers the risk of injury, though, since the frame and the springs can still present a safety hazard. So, Skywalker doesn’t sell those trampolines.

Instead, Skywalker trampolines have safety enclosures, to ensure jumpers don’t fall out. And like every other trampoline, each Skywalker trampoline has a weight limit. You may think it’s stupid, but follow that weight limit. It’s important for safe jumping.

Also, remember that children grow. If you want to allow two kids to jump together, make sure their combined weight in three years won’t overload the trampoline. In other words: the higher the weight limit, the better off you are. Bear in mind, though, that a higher weight limit often means a more expensive trampoline.

All Skywalker trampolines meet or exceed ASTM safety standards. And, according to Skywalker’s site, the company aims for excellence and the highest possible levels of efficiency, safety, and quality.

Still, if you want to prevent injuries, make sure you are familiar with the safety rules. And make sure you enforce them as well.

Skywalker trampolines come with anchor straps and spikes. These can help anchor the trampoline in place and add safety. However, not all models come with these, and you may have to buy them separately. Also, the anchors are meant to keep the trampoline from blowing away in the wind – not to keep your kid safe.

Take a look at this video to see what it’s like to jump on a Skywalker trampoline:

Skywalker trampolines seem to be medium to high quality. While they’re not spring-free trampolines, and their springs are not the longest, the vast majority of customers are more than satisfied, and report that they have used the trampoline for a median of five years, with no problems.

Why Buy The Skywalker Trampoline?

Simply speaking, the Skywalker trampoline is the best value for your money. It’s safe, the quality is high, and parents love it. Although it is not considered to be the absolute safest trampoline there is, it’s still very safe and we do recommend it.

What sizes and shapes does Skywalker have?

Skywalker carries trampolines of varying sizes, from their 36 inch square mini trampoline, all the way up to a 17×15 foot oval, and lots of sizes in between.

Skywalker also offers a variety of shapes: round, oval, rectangular, square, and, of course, mini trampolines. In short, Skywalker has a trampoline for pretty much everyone.

Rectangular trampolines

If you’re looking for complete control in both takeoff and landing, you’ll want a rectangular trampoline. Not coincidentally, professional gymnasts choose rectangular trampolines over other shapes. Rectangular trampolines also give the best bounce.

Round trampolines

In general, a circle is one of the sturdiest shapes out there. In a round trampoline, the jumper is always directed back to the middle, no matter where the jump starts from. The classic trampoline is round, and Skywalker offers 4 different sizes of round trampolines: 8 foot, 10 foot, 12 foot, and 14 foot.

Round trampolines also allow for a lighter frame without compromising the trampoline’s sturdiness, and provide good bounce.

Oval trampolines

Oval trampolines are larger than round trampolines, because of their elongated shape. What that basically means is that you’ll need to work hard to get a great bounce, but you’ll also be able to make longer jumps, since the sides are further apart.

They come in 2 different sizes: 16 by 14 foot, and 17 by 15 foot.

Since the shape is still circular, the trampoline still points the jumper back towards the center, reducing the possibility of falling on the springs at the edge.

Oval trampolines have good bounce, and allow for extra-long jumps. Just be careful: the elongated shape may make it harder to assemble.

Square trampolines

if you’re looking to get the most space for your buck, square trampolines are your answer. Many jumpers like to “take off” from the trampoline’s corners, and square trampolines give you 20% more jumping space than their round or oval counterparts.

Square trampolines naturally have a higher weight limit. They also mean you don’t have to waste any yard space, since the trampoline will fit into every corner.

Though square trampolines have less bounce than rectangular ones, they still beat round and oval trampolines by a lot.

They come in the following sizes: 11 foot, 13 foot, 14 foot, and 15 foot.

What accessories do Skywalker trampolines have?

Basketball hoops: Have a kid who lives for basketball? He probably knows how to jump for that hoop like a pro, but why not give him his own basketball hoop right in his own backyard trampoline?

Skywalker’s double basketball hoop attaches to your trampoline’s enclosure with a hook and loop. They’ll break away if you push hard enough, ensuring that your kids stay safe while they jump and dunk.

Volleyball nets: Looking to play volleyball while you jump? Skywalker offers a volleyball net that attaches to your trampoline. Just put it up and start playing!

Upper toss games: Skywalker offers 2 terrific games that attach to your trampoline enclosure. The kit comes with beanbags, a ball, a scorekeeper and 2 game attachments. Let the fun begin!

Lights: Remember how much fun it was to step on the light at birthday parties? Let your kids experience the same at home! With Skywalker’s light accessory, every trampoline jump becomes more fun, as kids jump on and off the light for party-like entertainment. Obviously, this particular accessory requires batteries.

Enclosures: All Skywalker trampolines come with an enclosure. But if you ever want or need to buy a new one, rest assured that you can.

Skywalker sells enclosure nets separately, for those who bought second-hand as well as those who are the worried sort and want to replace the net every year or so.

Elastics with balls: Those elastic bands with balls attached that you saw when you assembling your trampoline? Skywalker sells replacement sets, too.

The balls and elastics come in sets of six and allow you to switch the existing parts for new ones.

What age are Skywalker trampolines appropriate for?

Though the mini trampolines are appropriate mainly for toddlers, their larger trampolines can be used by adults and even professionals. Older children can use the larger, “adult” trampolines, and more than one person can jump at a time. Just make sure their combined weight does not surpass the trampoline’s weight limit.

Of course, it’s always a good idea not to jump to close to other people, and trampoline companies often state that only one person should jump at a time.

How should you choose a Skywalker trampoline?

Choose your trampoline based on weight, age, and purpose. If you’re looking for a fun backyard activity, your best bet is probably the standard “classic” round trampoline.

But if you’re looking for more bounce, a rectangular trampoline is your best bet. The rectangular shape adds bounce, and these are the trampolines that professionals use.

What is the Skywalker trampoline weight limit?

Most of Skywalker’s trampolines hold 200lbs.

In second place are the 15×9 foot rectangle, the 14′ square, and the 15′ square, at 250lbs each.

The 13′ square trampoline can hold up to 275lbs.

Are Skywalker trampolines bouncy? Which are the bounciest?

Skywalker trampolines provide lots of good bounce. Though I haven’t been able to find any real comparisons on which company gives you the most bounce for your buck, it does seem that Skywalker customers are satisfied and bounce-happy.

As for which of their trampolines are bounciest, I would have to say the rectangular ones. The rectangular shape in general lends itself to being more bouncy, and therefore is the preferred shape for gymnasts and aspiring gymnasts.

How long do Skywalker trampolines last?

Skywalker trampolines can last anywhere from three months to six years and more.

The vast majority of customers are happy with their trampolines and continue to use them years later. If you live in a climate with harsh winters, though, you should probably buy a cover for your trampoline or disassemble it and put it in your shed during the winter. Otherwise, like any trampoline, its lifespan is liable to be shortened considerably.

The only thing you need to watch out for is the netting: It comes only with a 90-day-warranty, because it decays relatively quickly. Though Skywalker is hardier and does better outside than most of the competition, it’s a good idea to always have two nets around.

Which Skywalker trampoline is best for toddlers?

Skywalker makes a mini-trampoline especially for toddlers. If you’re looking to buy for a toddler, I would strongly suggest sticking to the mini trampolines only. The others are bigger, taller, and offer more bounce but far less control. And in general, trampolines carry safety risks, just like toddlers. It’s best not to combine those risk sets, if possible.

However, do take into consideration that the purchase of a toddler trampoline means that within less than a few years, you’ll need to either store the trampoline or purchase a new one.

Where are Skywalker trampolines manufactured?

Skywalker doesn’t say where they manufacture their trampolines, but another review mentioned that the trampolines, like most of what you buy, are made in China.

Is Skywalker’s site user-friendly?

Though Skywalker’s site is beautiful and modern, it did not load well for me in Firefox, and I was forced to open a special Chrome window in order to view their site. Some of the pages did load in Firefox, but I couldn’t click anything. When I tried to click a link, the page kind of jumped and stayed the same. This also happened with those arrows you click to show the next product on the same page.

Of course, site issues do not reflect product quality, but it is still something worth mentioning.

Are Skywalker trampolines easy to assemble?

Customer reviews show the Skywalker trampoline is relatively easy to put together.

However, the instructions are not so clear, and many customers have gotten mixed up, only to have to go back and undo their work. It seems that step 4 gets people mixed up. Since I don’t have an instruction sheet in front of me, I can’t reword it, but I do suggest checking out the first few Amazon comments before you start putting your trampoline together.

Here’s how to assemble the 15′ trampoline (the other ones are quite similar):

How do Skywalker trampolines compare with those of other brands?

You know, that’s a really good question, and it wasn’t easy to answer. There are so many different trampolines, and so many – sorry – “trashy” reviews that rank high on Google, that it’s really hard to separate the truth from the fluff.

I’ve tried to do that legwork for you here. I can’t promise to have covered every brand, but if you’ve got a question, just ask – I’ll try to look it up and add it in for you.

Skywalker vs Alley Oop

Alley Oop is a trampoline line sold by Jumpsport. It’s considered to be the better of the two trampolines, and their fabric components last longer than Skywalker’s.

Howver, Alley Oop’s variety is quite limited, and its netting is “traditionally” mounted directly to the vertical supports and to the frame of the trampoline itself. Plus, the springs are on the inside of the net (whereas Skywalker’s are on the outside).

What this means is that if your child mis-jumps, he may very well hit a pole directly. And the only thing protecting him from the springs is the pad on top of them. If it slips or tears….let’s not go there.

Skywalker’s trampolines put the springs outside the net, which means your kid can’t hit them unless the netting is decayed. If the netting is strong, it will slow the kid’s flight and steer him away from problem spots before he actually hits them, reducing the benefit of thicker padding.

Skywalker vs Jumpsport

While Jumpsport owns Alley Oop, the two are absolutely not comparable. You might say that Jumpsport is the much-lower line of trampolines, though they are generally considered to be a good brand. But if Skywalker is competing head-to-head with Alley Oop (and they are), Jumpsport’s lower quality line is certainly not in the same ballpark.

Jumpsport’s instructions are semi-clear, but the trampoline takes a lot of time to assemble. Though the frame has a 15-year warranty (which is pretty good), that warranty doesn’t cover the rest of the parts, which do need to be replaced every so often. Customer service was rated low, since those who had problems felt like the company didn’t really care. On wrote that the company’s corporate culture was “sketchy.”

One good thing about JumpSport is that they have a springless model, which uses cords instead. Cords are safer than springs, and Jumpsport claims that they give better bounce, too. That model is relatively small, though, and the cords are liable to snap after several months of use.

Also, not every Jumpsport model has a safety enclosure. The springless model mentioned above does not have one. You may be able to buy appropriate netting separately from Jumpsport, but this is not clear and is also not mentioned.

In addition, several customer reviews mentioned serious safety issues. However, It’s not clear if these issues were the result of fluke, poor construction, or negligence on the customer’s part.

Skywalker vs Propel

To start with, not every Propel trampoline has an enclosure.

The Propel 15′ trampoline boasts a 250-300 lbs weight limit and a warranty, but customer reviews have been mixed. Several have had safety concerns, and one said his 70-pound child had broken a pole, and the company refused to fix it.

However, most of the other safety concerns were “neither here nor there,” with some of them being obviously the customer’s fault, such as a trampoline left exposed to the elements for an entire year, when the net and padding were not checked before the kids starting jumping again. Others were not so clear. Most of the customers who were dissatisfied did turn to the company and received satisfactory responses.

Propel, like Skywalker, places its net inside the springs, but both the net and the padding over the springs (like Skywalker’s) deteriorate with time and need to be replaced.

Skywalker vs Sportspower

Let’s just say Sportspower trampolines are off our list. Too many customers have complained about the trampoline being whisked off by the wind, springs breaking only one year in, a bad mat, and other safety concerns.

If you’re looking to buy a trampoline, put your money into something that will keep your kids safe. Though there have been good reviews of this trampoline, the net is kept closed with Velcro(!!!) and for “extra safety” you can close snaps, too. The trampoline sits relatively close to the ground, so this may be less of a problem than it otherwise would have been, but still…..it ain’t worth it, if you ask me. (And you did ask me, right? Otherwise you wouldn’t have read this far…)

Skywalker vs Pure Fun

Pure Fun trampolines do not come with an enclosure net, but you can buy the nets (as well as anchor kits) separately. All the parts have a 90-day(!!) warranty.

One of Pure Fun’s major advantages is how easy it is to assemble their trampolines. Also, they apparently have great customer service and are an “all-American” company.

However, there have been complaints about the spring cover wearing out after only a week(!) of jumping, and that the frame cover wasn’t that durable, either.

Pure Fun trampolines also don’t seem to be as sturdy as the rest, so that’s something to take into consideration when buying.

The prices, though pretty much average, will come out to a nice amount more if you order an enclosure (which you obviously should do, if you choose Pure Fun). In other words: You’ll get more bang for your buck if you choose a different brand. And I think that “different brand” should be either Skywalker or Springfree.

Skywalker vs Springfree springless trampolines

Honestly, if I had to choose between Skywalker and Springfree, I’d choose Springfree any day. As a safety-freak of a parent, I can easily see how the standard trampoline dangers exist in pretty much every trampoline except for Springfree trampolines. And that’s because the guy who invented Springfree is a safety-freak of a parent himself (or at least his wife is).

Skywalker does keep to the safety requirements, though, and Springfree costs a whole lot more.

I did not find a noticeable difference in customer reviews on the quality of customer service.

Skywalker vs Bouncepro

Skywalker is slightly more expensive than Bouncepro, but it also has more springs, and a unique no-gap enclosure. Bouncepro uses a regular heavy-duty zipper to close the enclosure – and we all know what the disadvantages of that may be…

Also, Skywalker trampolines are thought to be sturdier and more durable than Bouncepro trampolines. And the price difference is minimal, really. So here, I’d have to say go with Skywalker.

In addition, keep in mind that Bouncepro is meant more for children than for adults, which may be important if you’re looking to jump when your kids aren’t looking.

Where can I buy a Skywalker trampoline?

Skywalker trampolines are available on Amazon. If you’re looking to buy locally, Skywalker’s site lists authorized local retailers who sell their trampolines. As an aside, Skywalker also tells you how you can become an authorized retailer.

And the bottom line?

If you’ve read all the Skywalker trampoline reviews above, you know that we think it’s great value for your money!

Skywalker’s safety and sturdiness are topped only by Springfree’s. And it also offers the most variety in size and shape.

Also:Skywalker is pretty much the only company whose net actually meets the jumping pad, preventing little people from slipping through the opening. So you can be confident that your little people are as safe as jumpers can be.

As for quality? Some say that Skywalker delivers terrific quality, and some say it doesn’t. The reality is that the number of naysayers is two-digits and the number of positive comments is four digits.

So I’d venture to say that the Skywalker quality isn’t that far off of Springfree’s. And if I wanted to buy a trampoline, but didn’t have thousands of dollars to spend, on a Springfree… then Skywalker is the best trampoline for you and you should go for it.

Leave a Comment:

Thank you for sharing this. Trampoline is very effective workout instrument. Now i’m looking to buy one, but I’m worried about their longevity. Also, I don’t have enough space to place it. So, I’m looking a mini trampoline. I actually think MaXimus Pro Gym Rebounder should be the right selection for me personally. Do you have any suggestion to me?

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